Arthur is an OAP, hiding out from the world in his grotty top floor council flat. He’d move – if it weren’t for his missing son. Today is Michael’s birthday – will he finally come home? But the person Arthur finally lets in turns out to be someone else entirely. This teenager is seeking refuge from The Fights – the raging riots sparked years ago by a notorious computer game. As reality floods Arthur’s tiny world, he is forced to face facts – did the son he loves ever even exist?

Photo & video

Helena Thompson studied scriptwriting under David Edgar at Birmingham University. Her plays Bluebeard’s Wives (ICA) and Open House (the List’s festival highlight of the year and Time Out Critic’s Choice) are published by Plays International. Her short film High Above the Sky has two distribution deals, three prizes and over 20 festival screenings worldwide. She was on the National Theatre’s attachment scheme and writes afternoon plays for Radio 4.

Sound Designer

Jon Mcleod

Director

Mel Cook

Mel Cook is an experiential theatre maker. She has created festival work for Latitude, Glastonbury, LIFT, and Hide & Seek, and developed site-sympathetic work for Shunt Vaults, BAC, V&A, and The Lowry. She is Associate Director for SPID and Coney. Mel has been a finalist for the JMK, ITV, C4, Arches, Bankside, and Leverhulme directing awards. Credits include Southwark Playhouse, Arcola and Finborough.

Presented by

S.P.I.D.

Helena Thompson founded S.P.I.D. (Specially Produced Innovatively Directed) in order to reinvent community theatre for non-traditional spaces. The charity is based in the historic modernist council estate of Kensal House where we run a wraparound youth program for disadvantaged teenagers. Our work does not take on place on stage, but brings audiences together using immersive, particiaptory, promenade or site specific techniques. We create youth shows, professional shows, youth films and tours. Prizes include Time Out Critic’s Choice, Fringe Report’s Best Outreach Company and ITV First Light Best Film Award.

Cast

Joseph Tremain

Joseph Tremain is an actor from Essex. He is best known for playing Jim (The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances) in Dr Who. He has also appeared as Jason in the mini web series Frenemies. Recent roles include Edward Dickens in Webcast, Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet (Leicester Square Theatre) and Paulie Crickle in Secret Cinema presents: Back to the Future (2014).

Enyi Okoronkwo

Enyi Okoronkwo trained at Central Schools of Speech and Drama and Queen Mary University. Shows he has performed in include The Merchant of Venice, Uncle Vanya and Blue Stockings. He also works as a writer and director. Last year he wrote Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster, presented by Black Rubix Theatre.

Paul Greenwood

Paul Greenwood played Grandfather in Adrian Noble’s Chitty Chitty Bang Bang tour. Other theatre credits include Theatre Royal, Nottingham Theatre, New Vic Theatre and the Finborough. He has performed in the television shows Casualty and Midsummer Murders. He starred in the cult film Frightmare, the comedy TV series Rosie, and the children’s series Captain Kronos.

Bush Green

Myla took part in a week of work experience at the Bush. Here she recounts her experience of reading scripts, booking the Artistic Director’s international travel and helping manage a front of house crisis. As I walked up the stairs to the entrance to Bush Theatre, I honestly hadn’t the slightest idea what to expect…

BAFTA-winning actress Monica Dolan brings her debut play, The B*easts to the Bush Theatre. It follows her award-winning run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Starring Dolan and directed by John Hogarth, The B*easts explores how far one mother will go to give her child what she wants. *Such* clever writing & stellar performance (of course)…

Want more from your theatre trip? Join us for free post-show Q&As, panel discussions and informal theatre chats this season. These live events will aim to provide you, and especially solo attenders, the chance to find meaning through conversation and reflection upon our work. We will ask big questions about the world now: from the nuance of…

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